Animating a masked sphere with "star" particles
Appended Answer Here:

For understanding's sake, I am trying to recreate what you have done.

You basically had a sphere with random emitted "star-mesh objects".

That Sphere had key-framed rotation information within it.

Then you did something like the following:


Select your emission mesh (where the star particles are being emitted from).
Go to the Modifiers Tab within the Properties Panel.
Apply the Particle Modifier.


???

If this is correct, then what you would probably want to do is add an empty object at the center of the original sphere's rotation.

Select Your Empty.

Hold Shift and select your sphere.

Next: Ctrl + L >> Animation Data. This will copy the key-framed rotation.

Now you can apply the Particle Modifier, to make all of your stars individual objects.

Next Parent these to your Empty.